Well today I got put on a fat horse named JD. He is about 15hh, maybe bigger or smaller and very fat. I hate riding him. He is always so tired from the lesson before and he sleepwalks with me and trips over. When I tighten the reins to wake him up, he shakes his head coz he doesn't like tight reins. Today I had to ride him and he tripped several times. He wouldn't focus and at one stage I was so irritated I started crying. I didn't mean to start crying, but I hadn't done anything, he was tripping over and then he was being annoyed at me for tightening the reins. I didn't get one trot today. After a while my riding instructor made me and another girl trade horses. I got put on an Arab cross called Kimba. The club has been leasing him for about 2 weeks and rumour has it he is really slow. So I was on a fleabitten arab named Kimby. He had a really bouncy walk and was really thin and bony. But I felt so much calmer, safer, relaxed, all those types of words together on Kimba.
I am really upset about having to ride JD. We don't get on very well. It's kinda like humans. Some people I just can't get on with.
Yeah, I really just wanted to share what happened today with someone.
Another thing. Soon I'm going to have to start learning to canter. I really really want to, but I'm scared I'll fall off or wont be able to stop or wont know what to do...

Gillian

07-11-2009 03:26 AM

First of all don't be too upset! *hugs* This kind of moment happens to everyone at some point or another, but I have to tell you that one day you will appreciate that horse SO much for teaching you how to ride horses like him. Another suggestion is ask your instructor if every once in a while you could ride another horse. You'd still learn from the slow, sleepy horse, but also get an occasional break from him and a boost in confidence by riding a more responsive horse.

And I still remember when I learned to canter for the first time.
I was seven years old and the pony was a grey named Arthur, and he was an angle.
Cantering is fun! Try not to fret too much about it.

Good luck!

ilovemyPhillip

07-11-2009 09:55 AM

Oy its ok! I have 2 horses i will never ride again because i dont like them. Banjo; first horse i ever fell/got bucked off of. And Annie: a moody mare who galloped around and i couldnt get her to stop.

Canter; Hun, dont worry. Try to get your instructor to get a SLOW horse that doesnt like to canter and one that you have to use a crop to get going. The horse i first cantered on was a 15.2 WB mare named Emmy, i have to beat her with a crop to get her going. Canterings fun and really easy to ride out... MUCH easierthan trotting.

Good luck!

Tayz

07-11-2009 11:08 PM

I've never use a crop before and wouldn't know how to or how to hold it. I'm nervous at the idea of trotting, but I really want to try. It's like 75% of me wants to try, but the other 25% isn't sure about it and isn't sure how to ask the riding instructor how to canter...

ChingazMyBoy

07-12-2009 06:39 AM

Taylz, we all get to ride horses we don't like at some time. I'm sure your instructer realized you don't want to ride JD again. I rode a horse at my old riding school called Blu and he was shocking to ride. But I had to ride him alot because my instructor thought it was good for me to learn to be strong with horses and I agree with her. I didn't realize at the time, I just thought she was being mean putting me on this "stubbon" horse.

About the cantering, I'm sure your instructor isn't going to make you canter unless they think you are ready to do it. Just trust your self and your insturctor. Good Luck and I hope everything goes well! :)

loveverythinghorses

07-12-2009 11:09 AM

I was put on a horse on friday night past and it was western pleasure trained and I seriously thought some of my teeth were going to come loose that's how rough her walk was, and I won't even touch on her lope/canter. Everything about her is western pleasure and it's something I'm just not used to. I know you're not too familiar with western pleasure horses Tayz (or maybe you are?) but their trots are so insanely slow (which is kinda cool) and they lopes are weird, some are trained to do what can be called a "trope" which is a half lope/half trot. They're cantering in the front and trotting in the back. It's not something I like to see when I am on the ground and it's looks extremely uncomfortable to ride as well. But I'm just used to a horse just going into a canter and not doing this trope thing, it just feels like I'm going to be unseated. To say the least I did not enjoy my lesson and I just want to try a different horse the next time. Also if you're not entirely comfortable cantering, make sure you're comfortable at a trot with control and balance before cantering and tell your instructor that your not ready, they're not going to kick you off, it's a money thing.:-)

IheartPheobe

07-12-2009 11:35 AM

Aw! It's okay! *Hug* Sounds like a frustrating lesson! I know how you feel. My old horse used to never, ever go, no matter what.. he used to actually go BACKWARDS instead of forwards! lol! He wouldn't respond to the reins at all, and he was a clutz, too.. it took a while to train that one.. :P
here's some advice:
If you're on JD again (let's hope not! You obviously don't like him!), arch your back and keep your elbows bent and your hands up. This will help you hold him up, so he won't trip as much. My horse is a real clutz and also has breathing problems, so I have to do this all the time. It helps. If he is getting long or putting his head down to escape the reins, open and close your fingers on the reins twice (this is called a "tickle") and do a short halfhalt (quick pull and release) on the other rein. Do it as many times as you need to; it comes in handy and makes them lift their head! =] Then, as soon as you have his head, tighten your reins and don't let them get longer, but remember that tight reins won't help him get going, so try to have soft hands and not pull unless you've got to. As for the crop situation: This sounds like a horse who needs a crop. You hold it on your outside hand, or the one facing the middle of the ring, not the fence. If you're switching directions, your crop will most likely end up on the outside of the ring. Just quickly switch it over to your other hand while your changing directions or after.http://i30.tinypic.com/23ita87.jpgIn the picture above, which is good because it has a lot of different style crops, you would hold the side of the crop opposite to the one where the whip part is. This could be one or two rectangular pieces of cloth, a circle of cloth, anything really. You'll also know that your suppoused to be holding the side you hold because it will most likely be rubber and have a circle on the end point. You just hold it inbetween the reins and your fingers. Always feel free to ask your instructor, "am I holding this right?" if you're not sure! =]

IheartPheobe

07-12-2009 11:37 AM

oh, and, on that picture, the downward side is where you would hold, or the top of the crop. =] and if you ever need help, come and ask me, i'm always around =]

Tayz

07-12-2009 07:59 PM

Thankyou everyone. Thanks IheartPheobe for that picture and how to use it. Suprising enough, my riding instructor doesn't make anyone use the crop on JD. A little pony named Fire has to always have a crop with him, but JD has never had a crop.
The cantering thing. My instructor doesn't make us canter unless we want and feel like trying. Unless you ask her about it, she is content in letting you get more comfortable with trotting. The only problem is that I feel that if I had a go at cantering, I would improve so hugely and feel more confident around horses, but I'm not sure how to sit when you start cantering. We have this horse called Sonnett at the barn(yes he is one of my faves that i've talked about over and over again on here) and he was schooled professionaly so if you don't do trotting correctly and if you lean forward, he start's cantering. When I was learning to trot he began cantering one day. I didn't fall off but I remember it was fast and unexpected. He has a real smooth canter too my riding instructor said. So maybe when he comes back to the riding club I might try cantering on him?
:)
I love talking about my favourite subject on here..horses.

vivache

07-12-2009 09:20 PM

I'm just learning to canter, too.. after a year riding. :P It really helps if you're on a slower horse with a slow, rolling canter. It'll take you a while to get the 'sliding' of the canter... it took me about four lessons to get it on Russel-- our slow, 'dead' broke horse. Plus, if you REALLY get your trotting down, that will help.

I started cantering on the lunge. Even though I'm an English rider, I put on a western saddle. My instructor put me on a lunge line, and I just held the horn, kept my heels down, and tried to relax enough to slide. Then I weaned off of the horn, and when I was of the horn, I started cantering 'alone.' I'm now even cantering on the horse I lease, who has a much faster canter. It's fun!